🇸🇪 Test facility for hydrogen receives €7 million
PITEÅ The EU and Tillväxtverket are funding a test facility for climate-neutral hydrogen at LTU Green Fuels.
Article by North Sweden Business
The steel industry’s transition to fossil-free steel production requires large amounts of hydrogen. Therefore, the EU and Tillväxtverket (The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth) are funding the H2-Labs project with €7 million. A test facility will be built at Luleå University of Technology’s pilot plant LTU Green Fuels in Piteå.
It will test electrolysis for the production of hydrogen and oxygen, how to utilize residual heat from hydrogen production and how production can be made more energy and cost-effective.
“This investment allows Luleå University of Technology to substantially strengthen the research and education initiative within the hydrogen gas domain together with our partners. The research and development at pilot level, around one MW, which will be carried out at LTU Green Fuels, will lead to increased knowledge for all parts involved. Hydrogen pilots are required to create the experience of establishing, operation and maintenance, optimisation issues, and how to use the side streams of hydrogen production. This is important know-how involving specific conditions for cold climate,” says Fredrik Granberg, site manager at the University’s pilot plant LTU Green Fuels.
Luleå University of Technology is the project owner. LTU Green Fuels is the project partner. Other partners are Piteå Energi, Smurfit Kappa and H2 Green Steel.
The project is part of Luleå University of Technology’s hydrogen initiative Center for Hydrogen Energy Systems Sweden, CH2ESS.
The EU’s money comes from the Just Transition Fund, which is part of the European Green Deal, the EU’s new growth strategy. The fund focuses on industries and counties with very high carbon dioxide emissions, where the fund will contribute to the industry’s climate transition while maintaining competitiveness. The program includes around €250 million including national co-financing for climate adaptation of the steel industry in Norrbotten County, the metal industry in Västerbotten County and the mineral industry in Gotland County. The money from the fund will be used for investments in new climate-smart and resource-efficient technology, skills enhancement for employees, research and reinforcement of electricity networks.
